News

13 Sep

An action-packed day with ten tremendous teenagers

NCS is the National Citizen Service, and if you’ve never heard of it before then prepare to be impressed, as it’s a truly exciting government-funded scheme getting 15-17-year-olds out and about in the community. The aim of the scheme is to help those taking part to develop personal skills but at the same time, it benefits many more people too – including our residents!

A couple of weeks ago, we were lucky enough to play host to a group of 16-year-old members of NCS, and what an amazing time everyone here at Cumnor Hill House had. The ten teens got stuck in with everything going on in our home, including planting bulbs in the garden, painting and board games in the bar bistro, and they even arranged their own quiz!

Thank you to every single one of you, as our residents thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Why Cumnor Hill House?

Well, coming to see us was just one of many things this group of wonderful young people have been up to, but with an aim to target elderly isolation and mental health issues within the older community, the group chose Cumnor Hill House as the ideal home to visit in their local area. We’re incredibly grateful that they did as our residents had a fantastic time!

With 60 hours of social action to achieve that week, NCS had a big challenge ahead, and we were more than happy to help by opening our doors for the day – we would have been mad not to!

Get involved with NCS

To find out more about NCS and all that they do, visit ncsyes.co.uk and if you’re aged 15-17, get involved! Offering the chance to take on exhilarating challenges, make your mark and build skills for work and life, it offers a unique opportunity, and so far, more than 400,000 young people have already taken part and come together to accomplish amazing things.

The Lily Room Spa offers treatments for all our residents as part of their all-inclusive care, here to enhance mental health, relaxation, comfort and inner peace. Our residents absolutely love the Lily Room Spa as it gives them time to enjoy some R&R, so we thought it was about time we spoke to our star beauty therapist to find out a little more about the lady who makes the magic happen in the most relaxing room in Cumnor Hill House…

So, Charlie, what got you into beauty therapy?

Well, from an early age, I was always fascinated by the beauty and fashion industry, so after leaving school, I decided to pursue it! I studied wig-making, beauty therapy and hairdressing, but it was make-up artistry and beauty therapy that I was most passionate about, so I stuck with it. I spent two years working in a top-class Oxfordshire spa, building on my experience, and I’ve never looked back!

How did you get from there to where you are now?

I used to work as an in-flight beauty therapist for Virgin Atlantic Airways, which was incredible. It was my job to pamper the elite, and my clients included celebrities, musicians, Royals and other affluent individuals. My role included worldwide promotions, fashion shoots and regular TV and magazine work, so it really was the dream for me. After 14 years, I felt like it was time to spend some time back on land, so decided to find a job closer to home.

I then spent some time working as an assessor, trainer and beauty lecturer for Oxfordshire College, along with a great stint at ‘Six Senses’ elite worldwide spas, resorts and hotels, specialising in natural beauty. I absolutely love Thai massage and Reiki, and I’ve even travelled to Thailand for inspiration, training and qualification.

I now spend two days a week here at Cumnor Hill House and with the rest of my time, I run my own business, both from my home in Abingdon and as a mobile therapist, visiting private hospitals and luxury hotels.

What made you want to come and work at Cumnor Hill House?

Initially, I visited Cumnor Hill House as a guest on one of the famous entertainment evenings! I arrived with my elderly mother, who is a member of a local memory club; kindly, Cumnor Hill House regularly invite the group to come along and enjoy the entertainment.

My mum lit up when she spoke about this new and wonderful place – she was so happy, bright and full of chat, so I went along with her! I was instantly struck by the genuine warm welcome on arrival. Both staff and residents extended such kind hospitality and there was a real buzz, and such a happy and positive vibe! At Cumnor Hill House, nothing is ever too much and only the best is good enough. It was as close as I had come to experiencing such a high level of customer care and attention since leaving the airline industry.

Of course, I was intrigued! I introduced myself to management to thank them and find out more. It soon became apparent that a tranquil room named the Lily Room Spa existed and I knew in that very moment I could bring a first-class holistic and beauty service to Cumnor Hill House.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

It’s fantastic to see what a difference the beauty treatments make to our residents’ quality of life, as some time in the Lily Room Spa really does help them to relax and destress, and the health benefits are fantastic too. Indian Head Massages, for example, help to increase circulation and muscle tone, and improve immunity. Reflexology is great for residents with limited mobility or for when someone feels like their body needs a bit of an energy boost, and the traditional Japanese treatment, Reiki, reduces stress, aids relaxation and promotes healing. At Cumnor Hill House, we want to offer the best care possible, and that includes beauty therapy – after all, everyone deserves to feel special!

What’s your most popular treatment?

Throughout life, both ladies and gentlemen like to maintain a certain level of care when it comes to their appearance, as this is what keeps us feeling good both physically and mentally – it’s the feel-good factor! Therefore, each week I find myself extremely busy performing maintenance treatments such as manicures, eyebrow shapes, waxing and skin care etc., and alongside this, we have gentlemen’s grooming that includes our popular wet shave and scalp massage.

A huge variety of massage treatments are very popular too, along with facials and Reiki. There is never a quiet moment as everyone simply loves to be pampered, and for many residents, this is the first time they have EVER had a treatment in their life! It’s incredibly rewarding for me, to see someone who is usually anxious and confused completely relax, even if it’s just for a short while.

Often, the salon and spa are full of residents laughing and chatting whilst enjoying a treatment, complete with their favourite drinks and cream cakes with a side order of a relaxing massage. It seems like the perfect treat to me! Alternatively, one-to-one therapy with mellow music and the aroma of soothing aromatic oils fill the air. It’s so relaxing as there’s no rushing and no regimented appointment times, just a place to relax and enjoy a pamper session at your own pace!

What have you learnt from working at Cumnor Hill House?

I think the main thing I’ve learnt is how physically and spiritually uplifting holistic and beauty therapy treatments can be for all age groups. Even if an individual is living with dementia, they still seem to recognise me as the lady that does nice things – they may not recall my name, but they always recall this emotion!

It’s truly fantastic to see what a difference the beauty treatments available here make to our residents’ quality of life. Even seeing their faces light up as I walk into work makes me so happy and I now know that given time, a reluctant resident will soon become a regular client. It also makes our residents’ families feel good, seeing their loved ones looking good and taken care of – and as I’ve mentioned, the health benefits of treatments are huge.

I strongly believe in the power of touch, along with eye contact and a warm smile; everyone at Cumnor Hill house has these qualities, making it not only a place of care but a real home. Cumnor Hill House is where people come when they reach that point in life when they need a helping hand, but it doesn’t mean that they should stop living and loving life – they’re still free to experience the magic moments life has to offer as they would have done in their younger days, they just do it slightly differently. And here, the opportunities remain the same. I feel extremely proud to be part of this team and working for such an innovative, outstanding care home. Here, it’s all about health, happiness and wellbeing, which is what makes beauty therapy here so important and cherished.

Next time you pop in, why not say hello to Charlie and Denise, our fantastic hairdresser? We’re here to assist you and your family members with whatever you need or require, and a full treatment menu can be found on our Bistro tables and online.

If you have a friend or family member living here at Cumnor Hill House, make sure they’re making the most of our beauty therapy treatments – we’re one of just a handful of care homes in the UK to have an all-inclusive, in-house spa! We will always do our best and can take our services to a resident’s room if circumstances dictate. Nothing is too much trouble and it is our absolute pleasure to take care of you. We hope to see you very soon.

September’s set to be a brilliant month here at Cumnor Hill House, as we have some special acts coming into our home to entertain our residents, their friends and family members, along with members of the local community – the more, the merrier!

The coming month’s entertainment includes four fantastic events, ranging from Jon-Paul singing all your jukebox favourites, Simon ‘The Bubble Man’ here to put smiles on faces with his unique show, Steve Benson the magician and mentalist, and Jennifer Robb, who will be preforming great disco hits from decades gone by. With such a great mix of acts, we’re in for a real treat as we move into autumn.

All our Thursday evening events start at 6:45pm, and we offer a variety of freshly-prepared dishes by our chef, as well as refreshments. If you would like to come along, please RSVP to events@cumnorhillhouse.com or 01865 415 185 – as always, everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you at one or more of our events.

We always enjoy a celebration here at Cumnor Hill House, and our Country and Western Summer Party last Friday was no exception…with all our residents and around 120 guests in attendance, we pulled out all the stops and decorated the home with sunflowers, pictures of ‘wanted’ staff and country and western memorabilia, and put on quizzes, competitions, entertainment and games for fun, including fancy dress!

The afternoon kicked off with Neil Mack and his electric violin; Neil has performed for the Queen Mother at her birthday celebrations, and at Victoria and David Beckham’s house for a family celebration. He put on a fantastic performance for us, singing and playing his electric guitar and violin with songs with a country and western connection such as Bright Side of the Road, Lay Down Sally, Brown Eyed Girl and a whole host of others. Everyone enjoyed singing and dancing, many wearing their cowboy hats and boots.

Our residents performed a small demonstration of line dancing with our lovely dancing instructor Jane, before heading out to the garden to watch staff, family members and friends participate on the rodeo ride. They also got to feed the various animals in attendance such as goats, lambs, ducks and geese, and Henry the horse brought smiles to many as he trotted around the garden.

Children had lots of fun colouring and drawing as part of the art competition, riding the hobby horses, playing the horseshoe game and pin the tail on the donkey. The tombola was a popular stall, along with the fantastic raffle, which had some fabulous prizes up for grabs. Everyone loved naming the teddy bear, which we later announced as Roy!

Food included a broad spectrum of tasty BBQ foods prepared and cooked and served by our lovely team, including Cumberland hot dogs, Cajun chicken, minted lamb, pork and chilli burgers, and a selection of salads. Gin and tonic cupcakes, mini Victoria sponge cakes, chocolate Guinness cake, red velvet cupcakes and fresh fruit were all available to tempt the taste buds too. Our very own ice cream bicycle was offering a variety of delicious flavours of ice cream, along with sweet and salty popcorn cones and traditional sweet jars filled with all your favourites.

Elkie came to sing later in the day, with residents having fun dancing along to songs such as Blanket on the Floor and Nine to Five, among many others. Towards the end of the afternoon, the winners of the competitions were announced. Everyone was in high spirits and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon – hopefully we can put on a similar kind of event next year and end summer on a high once again.

Oxford United FC currently play in League One, and they’re the nearest professional football club to Cumnor Hill House. Founded in 1893, the team was originally known as Headington United and changed its name in 1960. In more modern history, Oxford were playing Fleetwood at home on Saturday, so we decided to go along and show our support.

One of our new residents had always wanted to see Oxford United play, having been an avid football fan for many years, and after chatting about it in our home, we soon realised that a few other residents also fancied visiting the stadium and seeing a match. Here at Cumnor Hill House, we always try to go the extra mile, so we arranged for a small group of residents to see the first home game of the season against Fleetwood. We travelled in style in the Cumnor Hill House minibus and were greeted by staff at the Kassam Stadium when we arrived, which was a lovely touch.

Showing our allegiance by wearing Oxford United scarves, with programmes in hand and oozing enthusiasm for Oxford to win, residents and staff sat in prime seats watching the game. We waved our flags and cheered from the stands as Oxford’s players ran onto the pitch and stayed warm and hydrated with hot refreshments, watching on intently.

After 34 minutes, Ched Evans scored for Fleetwood, leaving home supporters a little disheartened, but we kept the faith until the visitors scored a second goal, this time by Paddy Madden in the 89th minute – significantly, this was Joey Barton’s first victory as Fleetwood’s Manager.

Residents loved watching the game, and so did the staff! We all really enjoyed the game despite losing 2-0. Maybe Oxford will fare a little better in the return fixture in January…

On Friday 17th August from 2pm - 6pm, come and join us at Cumnor Hill House for a fun day out for all the family, complete with a country and western theme!

Everyone is welcome and there will be lots going on here to enjoy, including games, competitions, entertainment and a range of refreshments available. Don’t forget to dress up in your very best country and western attire, as there’ll be a prize for the most impressive outfit! If your loved one is a resident, it would be brilliant if you would help them to take part in the dressing up too!

On the day, we’ll have Neil Mack entertaining us with his electric violin, the opportunity to bottle-feed our animals on the ranch, the chance to test your skills with the rodeo ride, country and western-themed songs performed by Elkie, a tug of war between Cumnor Hill House staff!

We'll also have ice cream and popcorn, along with our country and western best-dressed competition, children's colouring competition, raffle, name the bear, tombola, pin the tail on the donkey, tin can game and country and western films in the Roxy Cinema. And from 4pm, we’ll be serving a tasty BBQ outside as long as the weather permits!

RSVP to 01865 415185 to confirm your attendance at the Cumnor Hill House Country and Western Summer Party! We look forward to seeing you there.

On a beautiful sunny afternoon last week, residents and staff piled into the Cumnor Hill House minibus and set off for Abingdon, where we all boarded one of Oxford’s well-known Salter’s Steamers; Salter’s Steamers is a family-run business providing a variety of water trips and cruises and have been putting on these special trips on the Thames for over 150 years.

With idyllic scenery, lovely refreshments and a healthy dose of chatter, everyone was having a lovely time, then as we headed under Abingdon Bridge, we were accompanied by a gaggle of geese swimming down the river. This was our first sight of many types of wildlife on our journey, which included grey heron, brown hare running along the river, dragonflies, butterflies, ducks and swans.

A guide announced places as we passed historical buildings and places of interest – a vintage boathouse brought much interest to the residents as well as the very quaint and pretty Iffley Lock, along with stories of the King’s Arms public house with a garden overlooking the river. People waved while observing the many boats that passed.

We all had a good giggle at one of the locks, when we saw a sign saying: ‘The cooking of roast dinners, bacon, egg or sausage sandwiches is prohibited whilst in the lock. Please pass all such items to lockstaff for safe disposal.’

John, our wonderful maintenance man, met us in Oxford in the minibus, and he took us back to Cumnor Hill House just in time for refreshments and home-made cake. It was a really great, relaxing afternoon, complimented by residents, staff and other passengers – if you’ve never been on a Salter’s Steamer, we’d highly recommend it!

August is set to be a jam-packed month here at Cumnor Hill House – we have five fantastic events to look forward to, with a great act coming to see us each Thursday evening! With singers, musicians and a magician in our midst this coming month, our residents really are in for a treat.

Our Thursday night events are always incredibly popular with residents, and in August, all five events will be starting at 6:45pm. You and your family are welcome to come and join us for as many events as you would like to and as always, a variety of freshly-prepared dishes are included – courtesy of our talented team of chefs – along with refreshing drinks all evening from our well-stocked bar.

You can read a bit more about our brilliant upcoming events for August by clicking on this article’s images, but please note that food options are subject to change. If you would like to attend one or more of our events this August, please RSVP to events@cumnorhillhouse.com or 01865415185 and we’ll make sure there’s more than enough delicious dinner for everyone in attendance.

Thank you to our Events Managers, Cherie and Tracy, for making all of this happen! We look forward to seeing you soon at Cumnor Hill House next month, if not before.